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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27076447">Perfection is in the Eye of the Beholder</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miyanoai/pseuds/Miyanoai'>Miyanoai</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Engagement, F/F, Flowers, Fluff, Zine: From This Day Forward - A Persona 5 Charity Fanzine, proposal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 01:22:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,794</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27076447</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miyanoai/pseuds/Miyanoai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto is determined to find the perfect way to propose to her girlfriend. Never being one to do things halfway, it poses more of a challenge than she thought. Thankfully Haru seems to know her better than she thought.</p>
<p>A submission for the P5 LGBT Wedding Charity Zine: From This Day Forward.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Niijima Makoto/Okumura Haru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Perfection is in the Eye of the Beholder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The air was brisk and the sky was gray, still recovering from the day’s previous rain. The weather matched Makoto’s mood as she walked down the street to her apartment she shared with her girlfriend of three years staring at a sheet of paper. Said sheet contained a list of proposal ideas that all her friends recommended to her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A simple question during dinner. A public announcement in a stadium. An extravagant display in the sky using the smoke of a plane? Makoto was sure she could never afford that last one. And would Haru even like that?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She had gotten better with social cues over the years. And she was pretty sure she knew her girlfriend well enough. So why was she having such a hard time with this? Then again, she had always been a perfectionist. Their first date had been a bit awkward because of that but Haru had enjoyed it nonetheless. She always knew how to find the silver lining of things. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But a proposal wasn’t so simple. You couldn’t just have another one of those. It had to be absolutely perfect. Which led Makoto to her current dilemma. She’d needed ideas and nothing that had been suggested to her really screamed “them” and so didn’t feel perfect enough. It wasn’t that she thought Haru would say no. Even with the company advisers breathing down her neck these days, she had always been adamant on being in control of who her friends were or who she could be in a relationship with after she cut ties with her former  fiance. And now she was almost finished selling off the rest of the company in order to pursue her dream of running a cafe.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Which was where Makoto’s timing came into play. They would be graduating from university soon and starting new jobs. Their old lives were coming to an end. It was time for changes and new beginnings. To Makoto, the timing was perfect, now she just needed the approach to be as well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The planning was surprisingly taxing, even if it was currently only in her head. And it was apparently visible on her face when she got home that day as Haru looked at her worryingly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mako-chan, you look positively exhausted. Don’t tell me you’re overworking yourself again.” she commented sternly with her hands on her hips. Makoto couldn’t help but smile fondly at her concern.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s just some final thesis work and exams that are coming up. No need to worry too much.” she waved innocently. It wasn’t really a lie. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> dealing with those things. But they were much less stressful than she made them out to be. It was then she noticed the small bags under Haru’s eyes as well. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What about you? You’ve been out of the house a lot lately. Those advisers aren’t giving you too hard a time with the remaining company, are they?” Haru shook her head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing I can’t handle. But you’re right. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> stressful. I was actually going to propose we take a break tomorrow. Take a drive out of town. Go on a picnic? The weather is supposed to be lovely and I found a perfect spot I’ve been wanting to show you. Please Mako-chan?” She blinked at her with eyes Makoto could never resist.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Perfect huh?” she murmured, her mind reeling. “I’m sure taking one day off won’t hurt us.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So that night, Haru baked a pie she had been perfecting to cool overnight and the next morning, she made coffee using Boss’s methods while Makoto prepped some bentos. They gathered blankets, a few books and other essentials and strapped them onto Makoto’s motorbike. She had gotten it a year prior and mostly only used it for destinations that were more tedious to get to on trains, but she loved riding it. It was exhilarating and reminded her of their days as Phantom Thieves. Fighting shadows, changing hearts, facing danger. Life never got more exciting after that year and she knew Haru agreed. But at least they were all still together. Some more so than others.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> It didn’t take long after they drove out of the city to get on open roads. Once they did Haru let go with one hand and raised it up, whooping in excitement. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Haru, be careful!” Makoto shouted over the deafening engine, but couldn’t help a chuckle even as she fretted. Haru loved riding with her and she couldn’t blame her. She would have loved to feel the wind in her hair like she used to with Johanna, but the helmets prevented that. Safety first of course. And thankfully Haru ended her recklessness quickly and proceeded to hold onto her stomach tightly, making Makoto blush.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually they made it to the spot Haru had directed her to. It wasn’t much, certainly not an actual park. It was more of a field with a few flowers spread around. Ahead of them was a large hill just as Haru had described, larger than Makoto had expected circumference wise, as once they had reached the top, it flattened out and the ground of the other side couldn’t be seen. Haru picked a spot near the edge though, where a single tree had grown, its flowers not yet blooming. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But it was a lovely sight nonetheless, like out of a painting. Especially when Haru sat there, spreading out the blanket. She looked positively radiant, her light pink hair blowing in the slight breeze, a pink dress to match that showed off her arms; slim, despite Makoto knowing she could carry almost eighteen kilograms of soil, and her beautiful light brown eyes with a tint of violet. With their busy schedules lately, she didn’t have much chance to admire her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Haru looked at her questioningly, noticing her stare. “Is this spot alright, Mako-chan?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was absolutely...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Perfect,” Makoto replied. “It’s perfect.” She brought the rest of their things over. Haru smiled brightly and Makoto wanted to kiss those plump, pink lips. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They ate their meals slowly, sharing new stories of their week and old ones from their memories. They fed each other bits and pieces and laughed if they missed each other’s mouths. They held hands and played with each other’s fingers. When they were finished eating, Makoto laid her head on Haru’s lap while the other played with her hair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t necessarily much different than how they usually spent their time together and enjoyed each other’s company. But at the same time it was, because Makoto by now had decided she one hundred percent wanted to spend her life this way, with this girl.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And as they lay side by side later on, each reading her respective book, Makoto for once couldn’t concentrate. Instead she inwardly debated. Could she blurt out a proposal right there and then? But she didn’t have a ring ready and though this was a perfect setting, she hadn’t thought about how she would present it yet. Maybe she should just forget about it now and enjoy the rest of the day. She could plan a more proper, perfect proposal another day. But then again, wouldn’t them being together already make it perfect?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That thought settled her uncertainty. Turning her head, she opened her mouth to get her attention.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ha-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mako-chan, look at that sunset!” Haru exclaimed before Makoto could. She hadn’t even realized how late it was getting. The sun was already halfway gone. Haru sat up with Makoto in tow as they watched it together. “Were you about to say something?” she asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“O-oh, just that, this was really nice. I’d love to do it again someday soon.” She suddenly felt extremely nervous again. Haru nodded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Me too. There’s actually still a lot of things that I want to do with you and I’m sure to come up with more in the future.” she added and Makoto couldn’t tell if her face had gone pink or if it was the last shreds of sunlight reflecting on her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I feel the same way. And to be honest there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you, but I didn’t know how to bring it up and I wasn’t sure if it would be appropriate to just come out and </span>
  <em>
    <span>say</span>
  </em>
  <span> it without any preparation-” Makoto continued babbling until Haru gently touched her arm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Before that, could I show you something?” Makoto only nodded in a pout, thankful for the distraction. Haru began walking her to the other side of the hill. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know I’ve been busy a lot lately and you thought it was related to the company. I’ll admit that that wasn’t true.” She frowned in disappointment at her own lie, but Makoto could only think who wouldn’t forgive such a face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The truth is I’ve been working on a particular garden that I created out here. Well, there were already many wild flowers but I added some extra ones and arranged them in a special way.” She stopped at the edge of the hill and Makoto looked down. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was much steeper than the other side. One would have to walk around the hill to get to it. But as Haru said, this side of the ground was home to multiple wildflowers hidden away by the hill. Right in the middle, a section of them had been bordered off and Makoto could see there were many more varieties that really made the colors pop. She was sure there was some special meaning to them as well, but her flower language wasn’t the best. Maybe she’d ask Ren later. There were small lights attached to certain parts of the flowers in order to see them in the encompassing darkness and also to clearly spell out a question:</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Will you marry me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Makoto felt her eyes tearing up. The garden was not only beautiful, but all the stress she’d built up in figuring out a way to ask had suddenly melted away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I get the feeling you may have been trying to ask me.” Haru spoke softly, almost embarrassed. “If you still want to, we can pretend this isn’t here.” Makoto shook her head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you crazy? As if I could top this.” The tears were now streaming down her eyes. “It’s absolutely perfect Haru.” She pulled her into a hug and kissed her deeply, which Haru eagerly reciprocated. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And the answer is yes.” she said dreamily, placing her forehead against hers. She’d almost considered coming up with an extravagant way to answer, in order to match the display of the question. But she didn’t need to. The answer had come so much easier. And she could start stressing over having a perfect wedding another day. For now she would simply enjoy her finance’s presence. That was perfect enough.</span>
</p>
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